James Kessler QC

Kessler photo James Kessler QC practices in tax. He is particularly interested in foreign domiciliaries, offshore entities of all kinds, and trusts, wills and charities. Other interests include prosecution of tax crime in complex cases, particularly along the avoidance/evasion faultline, and freedom of information.

James has practiced as a barrister since 1985 and was appointed QC in 2003. He is also a member of the Bar of Northern Ireland.

He is in Band 1 in Chambers Directory in the Private Client Tax category, with a reference to "acumen and remarkable thoroughness of thought."

James is one of the founders of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, for whom he drafted the STEP Standard Provisions, and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation. James has received the Geoffrey Shindler Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Profession (STEP Private Client Awards, 2011).

Recreations include cinema and jogging.

Cases

James has appeared in many leading cases including:

Instructing James Kessler QC

I spend most of my time giving independent specialist advice. If you want such advice, you should instruct a barrister but who and how?

From time to time I need to choose a barrister myself. I go first by personal knowledge; second by personal recommendation; in the absence of that, by publications, lectures, CV and (so far as ascertainable) reputation; and lastly, by comments in published directories; as to which see above. For practical details of how to instruct James to advise, click here

Books by James Kessler QC

James is the author of three major works:

Title Online VersionResource Archive
Taxation of Non-Residents and Foreign Domiciliaries TFD Online TFD: Resource Archive
Drafting Trusts & Will Trusts Online update Drafting Trusts: Resource Archive
Taxation of Charities and Non-Profit Organisations ToC Online ToC : Resource Archive

There are at present seven foreign-law editions of  Drafting Trusts and Will Trusts

Drafting Trusts and Will Trusts in Australia Drafting Trusts and Will Trusts in the Channel Islands
Drafting Trusts and Will Trusts in Canada Drafting Trusts and Will Trusts in New Zealand
Drafting Cayman Islands Trusts Drafting Trusts and Will Trusts in Northern Ireland
Drafting Trusts and Will Trusts in Singapore  

Swiss Tax Agreement

James Kessler's Tax Litigation Tips

Freedom of Information and HMRC

Contact James Kessler

Fraud alert

Fraudulent emails have been sent out by someone pretending to be James Kessler. The emails say that the recipient will be paid large sums of money. He may use email addresses like james_kesslerqc@hotmail.com, jameskessler98@yahoo.com or jameskesslerqc1960@rocketmail.com; I cannot give a full list, but any email address like that is quite likely to be fraudulent. The emails should be ignored. For information about this fraud, see http://home.rica.net/alphae/419coal/ and http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm.


Shindler winner logo Valid HTML 4.0 Transitional Design by Raphael Mankin